Tom Brady said goodbye to Tampa Bay, but did he say goodbye to football?
BOSTON -- A frustrating and fairly miserable 2022 season came to an end for Tom Brady on Monday night, as his sub-.500 Buccaneers lost to the Dallas Cowboys to conclude the NFL's Wild Card round. Brady and the Bucs never really stood a chance in the 31-14 defeat, with Tampa held scoreless until the end of the third quarter.
We're now left wondering if Brady will lace them up for yet another season. He always said that his goal was to play until he was 45, and his 46th birthday is coming up in August. Will he continue to defy time, or will he actually retire this time around?
Brady, who will be a free agent this offseason for just the second time of his 23-year career, didn't commit to his future following Monday night's loss. He said that he'd take things one day at a time this offseason, and all he wanted to do in the moment was go home and get some sleep.
But he made it fairly crystal clear that he won't be back in Tampa, essentially saying goodbye to just about everyone in his closing statement.
"I love this organization. It's a great place to be. Thank you everybody for welcoming me, and all you regulars," said Brady. "I'm just very grateful for the respect and I hope I gave the same thing back to you. I appreciate it."
That certainly sounded like a farewell to Tampa. But was it also a goodbye football?
Probably not. Brady isn't going to want to go out like this, not after one of the worst playoff performances of his career.
Brady will officially become an unrestricted free agent on March 15. If he does want to keep playing, teams like the Raiders, Titans, and 49ers are reportedly ready to make a run at the seven-time Super Bowl champ.
